Does this ring true? Advertisers do put their best foot forward. Sometimes the hype doesn’t match the reality.

So it is in dating. Of course, we want to be our best self in courtship. But if you are going to take that next step and make a life-long commitment to a person, you want to make sure you know the real person.

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Here’s another installment of the 1950’s marriage preparation films I came across. In these, the young couple visit their minister counselor. The minister tells them to watch out for the “boing!” Ok, got your attention. You’ll laugh for sure, but then you can spend some time talking about some of the areas that brought up. Enjoy!

Part One

Part Two

Below are video highlights of the 2007 Smart Marriage Conference. Speakers include John Gray (Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus), Tony Robbins, and others. While short, each segment can give you some things to talk about.

A guy asked this question, “Should I tell my finacee that I was previously married?”

I can only imagine what you are thinking! But listen to the complete question and my answer. It provides an opportunity for you to talk about the importance of honesty in your relationship.

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The holidays are upon us! Aren’t Thanksgiving and Christmas wonderful times of the year! They are family times. But wait. Once you are married, the family is bigger now.

Two families with their holiday traditions brought together by your marriage. Or maybe brought together are the wrong words. These family traditions are part of the adjustments (or challenges) you have to make early in your marriage.

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Do you really know your partner? What is a love map and what does it have to do with building a strong marriage? The first of John Gottman’s Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work is Enhance Your Love Map.

You can get Gottman’s book at Amazon at this link:
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country’s Foremost Relationship Expert
Here’s another book to “enhance your love map”
1001 Questions to Ask Before You Get Married

The old Hee Haw joke was, “I broke my arm in three places” and the friend answers “Then stay out of those places!”

When it comes to marriage you want to stay away from those places that hurt your marriage. One of those “places” is where at least one person in the marriage is a workaholic. The divorce rate is actually twice as high for this couple than other couples (1999 study at University of North Carolina at Charlotte).

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